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Saturday, April 29, 2017

Oh, to be a Bird

Matthew 6:25-27
“Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will
eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than
food, and the body more than clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they
do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds
them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Can any one of you by
worrying add a single hour to your life?"

The gold finches and house finches visit the feeder
beside our porch. We hung it at the beginning of spring and have been blessed
with fluttery visitors ever since. After work, I often sit in my Adirondack chair,
camera in hand, hoping to catch a photo of these sweet beauties. If you're a
fan of gold finches, you've noticed that the male bird's feathers dull with
winter. This mechanism of molting hides him from predators. With spring, his
plumage returns to a bright yellow to attract his mate. I am amazed how God
takes care of the tiniest details of his creation.

Finches love to eat thistle and milkweed. Even
though I enjoy having them at my feeder, they don't depend on me for food. God
takes care of them. He supplies their need. How much more does he do for me?
And why do I worry? I read the other day that worry causes stress and anxiety,
but concern results in action/prayer. Worry blows circumstances up to
ridiculous proportion. While prayer offers peace and guidance. Jesus is telling
us to stop worrying about the basics and keep our minds on the spiritual. Eat
what we have, wear what we have and be more concerned about our souls. Feed on
spiritual food and grow in him. Praise God he values us!

Matthew 6:33
But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things
will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for
tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.